Pages

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While searching for side dishes that would add pizzaz to barbecues and picnics, I came across this lovely salad that's guaranteed to waken tired taste buds. It's made with watermelon, tomatoes and cucumbers and gets an added boost of flavor from herbs that you get to choose. It's tossed with a light vinaigrette and served in a hollowed melon shell that adds visual appeal to an otherwise plain presentation. While there is some chopping involved, the salad is simple to make and it is portable. It can also be made more substantial with the addition of cooked shrimp or feta cheese. The components of this salad all release large amounts of liquid and they will drown in their own juice if the salad sits too long. So, while I prepare everything hours in advance of serving, I wait until the last minute to combine and toss the elements together. I love this dish, but as I made it a wave of nostalgia washed over me. You see, I remember a time when watermelon was a treat eaten while lying shoeless in the grass as we searched the sky for Venus and craters on the moon. No one spoke of mint or maceration, as seeds were spit, willy-nilly, among the fire-flies that lit the dark Midwestern night. I hope our children all still know the joy of simple pleasures and hear the crickets song. Here's the recipe that started my reverie. I think you'll really like it.

68 comments
:

See, I never would have imagined watermelon would go with any of these ingredients, except to sit beside them on a picnic table...very interesting. I will see if I can get a friend of mine to try this and let me know (I wouldn't trust me to get this one right...)Loved your nostalgic recollection...and I'm glad I'm not the only one out there spitting watermelon seeds in the past...

My family loves watermelon salad Mary, and I've said the same thing- I love pictures we have of my children with their faces buried in a huge wedge and spitting seeds at each other! Just lovelyxoxo Pattie

You stole my thunder! I was going to post a similar recipe only watermelon (in the markets of New York, anyway) still isn't as sweet as it should be- neither are tomatoes. One thing I would add to your recipe- I like a fruit vinegar with something like this.

Am looking at this, and it looks lovely, am reading the recipe and it sounds easy, am still wondering how on earth all these flavors work together...only one way to find out: try it! My earliest memories of watermelon eating were at my grandparents' farm...they would have a big hug oat bucket scrubbed out, filled with ice, and water...float the watermelon in it to get it ice cold and then slice it up for us all. It was the greatest treat on those hot summer days!

While I would've never thought to pair watermelon with the rest of this salad, it does sound very refreshing and so summery! I have a very young son, and he has already spent several days this season, playing barefoot in the grass along with his little cousins, each clutching a wedge of watermelon. It is a delight to watch!

Such a wonderful post. Your nostalgic recollection of the past is priceless. Brought back some fond memories. I can't wait for the watermelons to start appearing here so I can try this one. hugs ~lynne~

Hi, Mary! This one is very interesting. I thought about you the other day, and this post speaks right to it. I had lunch with Rhonda of Shell Belle's blog, and we had a very interesting soup... it was a watermelon soup that was sort of spicy (I think it had Thai spices). Anyhow, I always think of you when I try something new and different. She reported on it for Foodie Friday!

Beautiful Mary! I can't wait to try this...I am going to link to it on my blog post today all about ways to deal with the overabundance of cukes coming out of my garden this year. I'm glad you found my blog so I could find your! Can't wait to look around more.

What a lovely salad! I never would have added watermelon to a cucumber and tomato salad. Watermelon was always a summer treat after a big Italian dinner at my grandparents' home when I was a kid. I miss those days....

Unfortunately Mary our children will never live the way we lived in the past. The years of our innocence have nothing to do with the cruel reality of today. This salad though is unique and adds some color to life.

I had this salad at a July 4th party this past weekend. It is divine. The sweetness of the watermelon, along with the crisp crunchiness of the cucumbers and onions are just what your palate needs; then all of a sudden you get a burst of tomato, a hint of pepper and lastly the pleasant bite of the basil. What an incredible combination of vibrant colors and flavors. You will make this again and again.

Must say, this is pretty excellent. I've already made it a second time because it was so good the first time.

I found that letting it sit in its juices for a while worked great for flavor, so even though the leftovers the next day were drowning it liquid, I dare say it was even tastier. Either that, or a lot of it sunk to the bottom so people didn't get as much flavor when they took food from the top.

Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third-parties nor does it store information about your visit for use other than to analyze content performance through the use of cookies, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser's settings. Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a a users prior visits to this website. Google's use of the DoubleClick cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads. This blog is not responsible for the republishing of the content found here on other Web sites or media without the owners permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice